FAI Sailplane Grand Prix USA 🇺🇸 Orlando

No mixture, just car tow-bars are being used here. Very easy and convenient. A lot faster than what we normally do when we weight at a US contest.

Don't even remove the wing wheel or balance the wings, simply tow on to scale, they see the reference weight, if needed we drop a gallon or so of water. Roll off.

Today is rest day (weather). Maybe tomorrow but could be a blue day with 4-5000 height band.

Best. #711.

On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 7:25:48 PM UTC+3, Tom Kelley #711 wrote:
No mixture, just car tow-bars are being used here. Very easy and convenient. A lot faster than what we normally do when we weight at a US contest.

Don't even remove the wing wheel or balance the wings, simply tow on to scale, they see the reference weight, if needed we drop a gallon or so of water. Roll off.

Today is rest day (weather). Maybe tomorrow but could be a blue day with 4-5000 height band.

Best. #711.

I was just thinking of an incident where a competitor was towing out with a rope or with a tail-on-towbar gizmo on different days, depending on whether there was a tail wind (towbar) or a head wind (rope) at the weigh point :-)

Yaaas... If there's a headwind and he's on a rope, he may very well
benefit from the lift generated by the wind on the leading edges. I
wonder what flap setting is used... 8-)

On 3/31/2017 2:22 PM, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 7:25:48 PM UTC+3, Tom Kelley #711 wrote:
No mixture, just car tow-bars are being used here. Very easy and convenient. A lot faster than what we normally do when we weight at a US contest.

Don't even remove the wing wheel or balance the wings, simply tow on to scale, they see the reference weight, if needed we drop a gallon or so of water. Roll off.

Today is rest day (weather). Maybe tomorrow but could be a blue day with 4-5000 height band.

Best. #711.
I was just thinking of an incident where a competitor was towing out with a rope or with a tail-on-towbar gizmo on different days, depending on whether there was a tail wind (towbar) or a head wind (rope) at the weigh point :-)

--
Dan, 5J

On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 4:23:00 PM UTC-4, Bruce Hoult wrote:
On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 7:25:48 PM UTC+3, Tom Kelley #711 wrote:
No mixture, just car tow-bars are being used here. Very easy and convenient. A lot faster than what we normally do when we weight at a US contest.

Don't even remove the wing wheel or balance the wings, simply tow on to scale, they see the reference weight, if needed we drop a gallon or so of water. Roll off.

Today is rest day (weather). Maybe tomorrow but could be a blue day with 4-5000 height band.

Best. #711.

I was just thinking of an incident where a competitor was towing out with a rope or with a tail-on-towbar gizmo on different days, depending on whether there was a tail wind (towbar) or a head wind (rope) at the weigh point :-)

and adjust the flaps accordingly

On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 12:25:48 PM UTC-4, Tom Kelley #711 wrote:
No mixture, just car tow-bars are being used here. Very easy and convenient. A lot faster than what we normally do when we weight at a US contest.

Don't even remove the wing wheel or balance the wings, simply tow on to scale, they see the reference weight, if needed we drop a gallon or so of water. Roll off.

Today is rest day (weather). Maybe tomorrow but could be a blue day with 4-5000 height band.

Best. #711.
in Tom's case he is using a motorcycle to tow out

On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 5:03:32 PM UTC-4, wrote:
On Friday, March 31, 2017 at 12:25:48 PM UTC-4, Tom Kelley #711 wrote:
No mixture, just car tow-bars are being used here. Very easy and convenient. A lot faster than what we normally do when we weight at a US contest.

Don't even remove the wing wheel or balance the wings, simply tow on to scale, they see the reference weight, if needed we drop a gallon or so of water. Roll off.

Today is rest day (weather). Maybe tomorrow but could be a blue day with 4-5000 height band.

Best. #711.
in Tom's case he is using a motorcycle to tow out

Yes, it has a tow bar and am weighed with the tow bar hooked up to both glider and motorcycle when my reference weight is done(wing wheel also is on). Whether its at the WGC or say here, you are watched to make sure your in the same configuration as when scrutineered(was done in a enclosed hanger as is the same at the WGC). The scrutineering team also does the weighting. We also have a FAI referee who watches over us. If your even 3-4 pounds over, you dump some water.
Heck, they even check the parachute card for the correct repack date and the glider logbook for its last annual. I was ready to even bend over and grab my ankles. :))).
Ahhhh, also many thanks to the NAA on my renewal for the Sporting license. I did a online renewal on Sunday evening and with our CD's help, it was done at 9:01 am Monday morning. Am using the IGC droid on my cell. Works great.. Maybe 6 plus hours of use and have a cell battery charger if needed.

I believe they are also using this same procedure at Cordele for the Nationals on weighing??? Not sure, just talk I heard.

When we are weighed, the whole group is on the way to the grid and the wind remains fairly constance doing this short period. We all drive on the same way and off.

Its been a well run contest, very good task calls, great dinners and the weather guy is doing a great job. Tony's presentation is to the point, he's been wearing only one hat...that's white for CU's. We have had great weather compared to the Seniors and do wish they would consider moving back the Seniors a few weeks. Am better adjusted to the time change after a few weeks myself.

What's unusual during this time frame is am not seeing many migrating flocks heading north bound. Also, several YouTube videos are available and maybe tomorrow am told they will do live tracking.

Am using the ClearNav XC vario......its thermal assistance is good and simply the best I have used. It updates 5 times a second when thermaling and does paint a great picture of what's going on.

Best. Tom #711.

Congratulations to today's final Race 6 winners:
1st - Jon Gatfield - United Kingdom - ASG-29
2nd - Tony Condon - USA - JS1a
3rd - Rich Owen - USA - ASG-29e

Congratulations to our overall winners:
1st - Jerzy Szemplinski - ASG29 - Canada
2nd - Sean Fidler - ASG29 - USA
3rd - Tom Kelley - ASG29 - USA

Awards, Oakwood Smokehouse catered ribs, and plenty of beer and wine for dinner this evening.

What an incredibly fun week!

Congratulations Jerzy and Sean! Now to learn how to polish rocks in the Chilean Andes in January!

Juan
Z8


On Saturday, April 1, 2017 at 10:06:39 PM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
Congratulations to today's final Race 6 winners:
1st - Jon Gatfield - United Kingdom - ASG-29
2nd - Tony Condon - USA - JS1a
3rd - Rich Owen - USA - ASG-29e

Congratulations to our overall winners:
1st - Jerzy Szemplinski - ASG29 - Canada
2nd - Sean Fidler - ASG29 - USA
3rd - Tom Kelley - ASG29 - USA

Awards, Oakwood Smokehouse catered ribs, and plenty of beer and wine for dinner this evening.

What an incredibly fun week!

Why were Robin and Sergei disqualified on Day 5? Airspace violation? Same as with the penalties a reason would be helpful.




On Saturday, April 1, 2017 at 10:06:39 PM UTC-4, Sean Fidler wrote:
Congratulations to today's final Race 6 winners:
1st - Jon Gatfield - United Kingdom - ASG-29
2nd - Tony Condon - USA - JS1a
3rd - Rich Owen - USA - ASG-29e

Congratulations to our overall winners:
1st - Jerzy Szemplinski - ASG29 - Canada
2nd - Sean Fidler - ASG29 - USA
3rd - Tom Kelley - ASG29 - USA

Awards, Oakwood Smokehouse catered ribs, and plenty of beer and wine for dinner this evening.

What an incredibly fun week!

Agree with you Juanman. One was manuever g against the flow of traffic and the other perpendicular to traffic during the start. It's a pretty harsh penalty, obviously.